The lid's off: Judge accused of lying about fight

WATERLOO, N.Y. (AP) — An upstate New York judge has been indicted on nine charges related to a reported attack last summer that authorities now say he fabricated.

The Seneca County District Attorney's office unsealed an indictment Monday charging acting Waterloo village judge Roger Barto with five felonies, including grand larceny and insurance fraud, and four misdemeanors.

Barto told police he was hit on the head with a porcelain toilet tank top and choked as he was leaving the courtroom after an arraignment late last August.

He's also accused of stealing gasoline that belonged to the village at Maple Grove Cemetery, where he also holds a paid position, and collecting more than $3,000 in medical benefits.

Local media report Barto pleaded not guilty in Seneca County Court and was released on his own recognizance.

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